Known for Months
by Naitan
Summary: A story showing internal struggles, heartbreak, all that sort of stuff. It's pretty depressing, but it's not exactly dark. Enough Faith/Buffy and Faith/Cordy to keep anyone happy... Read it :
1. Chapter 1

**Uhhh, hey guys. Yeah. I kinda wrote this at two in the morning, so it can't be written too well. But whatever, give it a try anyway.**

**And yeah. If I get enough reviews (they let me know people like my story), then I might expand this, make it longer, continue it. Say, 5. Not an exact number, but I do want to know that some people would want me to do it.  
**

* * *

There's a slight knock on the door, too soft to be heard by anyone without Slayer hearing. Faith looks up sharply, smiling softly when she feels the reassuring tingle of the bond.

"Come in, Buffy," she calls, laying her head back down on the pillow. Buffy stumbles in, her eyes almost closed before she even gets in the bed. The brunette slayer lifts the blankets for her, inviting her in.

"Faith," Buffy yawns, snuggling against her girlfriend. She closes her eyes, hoping to fall asleep quickly.

Faith kisses Buffy's neck softly, frowning when her lips brush against a recent neck wound. "What happened there?" she whispers against the smaller Slayer's neck,.

"Newbie vamp," she yawns. "Goodnight, Faith."

"Goodnight, Buffy," Faith says, placing her arms around the blonde's waist. "I love you."

The dark slayer waits, listening to the sound of her love slowly falling asleep. When she hears a snore escape the other slayer, and the other girl still hasn't said the words back, her shoulders slump again. Turning so that the small girl won't wake up, she allows the tears to start falling from her eyes again.

* * *

Willow hurries through the cemetery, her eyes closed. With unerring skill, she doesn't hit an tombstones, jumping over any and all obstacles in her path.

The trail of Buffy's essence ends rather abruptly. Opening her eyes, Willow is confused to see a crypt in front of her. She shrugs it off, assuming that Buffy would be fighting vampires, like Faith was right now.

She hurries around the crypt, pausing for a moment when she recognizes the crypt as Spike's. Frowning, but still not suspicious, she opens the door, expecting to see- something. Maybe Buffy and Spike fighting a horde of vampires. Anything but what she saw when she did look.

Buffy was giving her a panicked glance from her position straddling Spike, their naked flesh pressed together.

* * *

"You can't tell Faith," Buffy says coldly to the Wiccan.

"She has a right to know!" Willow argued. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't tell her!"

"How about because I don't want you to?" Buffy asks. "It would crush her, Willow. Just... give me some time, okay?"

"Time for what?" the red-head asks, confused.

"Time to... I don't know, something," Buffy says softly.

Willow's eyes flash. "I'll give you four hours," she says coldly, turning and walking away before Buffy could respond.

Buffy glances at her watch. Hesitantly glancing at Spike, she tries to make up her mind as to where she should go.

* * *

There is a knock on Faith's door. She opens it, expecting to see her blonde girlfriend, but is surprised to see Willow there.

"Hey, Red," she drawls. "What's happenin'?"

Willow glances at her watch. "It's been five," she mutters cryptically.

"Uhhh... What?" Faith asks, puzzled.

Willow shakes her head. "Never mind," she says. "I have some bad news for you. Well, it's not too bad, it's not like end-of-the-world type stuff, although it might be the end of your world, but it's not an-"

"Red," Faith interrupts. "Spill it out."

The witch takes a deep breath. "Faith... Buffy's cheating on you."

Faith's mouth twists into a wry smile. "I know," she says, shrugging her shoulders.

* * *

"You know?" Willow asks, sitting up on the edge of the double bed. "But- what- why- huh?"

"With Spike, right?" Faith asks, leaning on a small bookshelf.

Willow nods slowly. "With Spike. But what do you mean, you know?"

Faith's smile slips before she can hide it, revealing just how hurt Faith really was by this. "She comes in midnight almost every night with a new fuckin' bite mark on her neck, Red," Faith says impatiently. "How long'd she really think she could hide it?"  
"How long have you known?" Willow asks curiously.

Faith leans back, mouthing something as she taps her fingers. "Around three months," she says finally. "Ever since that whole fuck-up with Adam."

Willow is stricken to silence as Faith's mask slips again at the words. The raw pain hidden there was enough to make the Wiccan hurt.

* * *

"Did you tell her?" Buffy asks flatly.

"Yeah," Willow says softly. "I did."

Pain flashes across the blonde's face. "So, I assume she's breaking up with me?"

Willow bites her lip. "She really should," she answers finally. "But she isn't."

Buffy's forehead furrowed. "What?"

Willow turns on Buffy. "You've really been hurting her, you know?" she shouts. "Goddess knows, I don't like her, but even I feel sorry for her right now!"

The Slayer rises in response. "She wouldn't be hurting if you hadn't told her!" she yells furiously.

For once, Willow doesn't back down. "Yes she would!" she screams back, not holding any of her anger back. "You think she didn't think something was up, when you walk in every night with fang-holes in your neck? She's known you've been cheating on her for months, Buffy!"

Buffy staggers back a step. "What?"

* * *

Faith leans back, examining Buffy.

"Why didn't you say anything?" the petite girl asks softly.

Faith shrugs her shoulders, smirking. Tears are threatening to fall from her eyes, but the blonde doesn't notice. No-one ever does. "'Cause I didn't know who you'd choose," she explains.

"How could you say that?" Buffy asks, tears choking her. "I love you! You know that!"

Faith grows still. The smirk disappears. "Really?" she asks softly, dangerously. "Is that right?"

"You know it is!" Buffy yells back. "How could you ever doubt that?"

Faith shakes her head. "I dunno, B," she says. "Maybe it's got somefin' to do with the fact that that's the first time you've said that in a month?"

Buffy's next words die in her throat. "What?" she asks, blinking.

"That's right," Faith says. "And trust me, B, I haven't just not bein' paying attention. You haven't told me you love me in thirty-eight days. We haven't screwed for twenty-nine. For fuck's sake, Buffy, we haven't even kissed for two god-damned weeks!"

Her mouth gapes. The older slayer can't say a word before Faith is slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

Faith sobs quietly into the mouthpiece. "It just hurts so much, you know," she sobs quietly.

"I know," Angel reassures her softly. "It hurts so much that you think that your heart is being ripped out of you, doesn't it?"

A louder cry is torn from Faith.

* * *

Faith walks into Buffy's dorm room. The blonde leaps up, hiding the phone behind her back.

"Hey, B," she smirks arrogantly.

She hears a tinny voice coming from the phone. "Is that Faith?" she recognizes the voice as Spike's.

The younger Slayer looks at her disbelievingly. "You're still fuckin' talkin' to him, B?" she asks, turning her gaze away from B to hide the hurt in them.

"Faithie..." Buffy reaches an arm out to her girlfriend, trying to hold her where she is.

Faith glares at her. "Don't call me that," she says.

* * *

Buffy knocks on Faith's door. Listening carefully, she tries to hear any sign of life inside. She hears one pair of heartbeats. She unconsciously let out a sigh of relief; at least Faith hadn't reverted to her old 'get some, get gone' routine.

Faith opens the door. "B," she says neutrally.

"Faith," Buffy says, her voice full of wonder. "I haven't seen you for _days_!"

Faith chuckles. "Yeah, usually what happens when you're not talkin' to someone, B."

Buffy can't quite hide the hurt in her voice. "You were avoiding me?"

A grin broke out over Faith's face at her private joke. "Yep," she says, grinning broadly. "Needed to get my head straight."

"What were you thinking about?" Buffy asked carefully, not sure she wanted to know.

"Tryin' to figure out if I should-" Buffy's phone rang, interrupting her.

"Excuse me for a second," she says quickly, flipping it open without checking to see who it was.

"Hey, luv," Faith hears Spike say.

Buffy looks up at Faith's suddenly unreadable face. "Thanks for makin' my mind up, B," she says. "Now, get lost for a while."

Buffy goes to protest, but she is pushed out, and the door is slammed in her face before she can say anything.

* * *

The crew were all gathered in front of the Bronze, all staring expectantly at Faith.

"Thanks for comin', guys," she says, her voice carefully neutral. "Wanted to say goodbye 'afore I left."

There was a general outcry at this. And to shatter her heart even further, it was Xander, not Buffy, who stepped forward.

"Where are you going?" he asked, disappointment in hs face.

"Good old L.A," she smirks at him. "Gonna shack up with Soulboy and his bunch for a while. Don' you worry, X-man, I'll call ya." Winking at him, she turned and left without a second glance.

Buffy looked on, her heart being shredded to pieces by Faiths leaving. Internally, she sighed. Feeling bad. Time to visit Spike again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Uh, yeah. As you can see, I obviously decided to continue it. Five reviews in less than five hours :) Plus some PM's.**

**So, well, yeah. I dunno when this is gonna end, but I'm trying to a void all those cliche's like Buffy going to L.A and doing a whole huge apology thing, so it could go on for a while. T'all depends.  
**

* * *

The sound of the motorcycle beneath her makes her grin. The single bag slung over her shoulder contained everything she owned- three t-shirts, four pairs of pants, and her trusted fake leather jacket , plus the necklace the Scoobies had gotten together and bought for her for Christmas last year.

The wind roared past her as she stares at the road, doing her best not to think. Even despite her best efforts, little things, like the sun reflecting off yellow leaves, reminds her of Buffy. She just tries to think of something else before the tears can fall.

* * *

Xander turns to the other Scoobies, confused. "Why did she leave?" he asks curiously.

"Because Buffy's been cheating on her with Spike," Anya states. "Obviously. This is boring. Let's go home and-"

"Buffy wouldn't do that," Xander hurriedly interrupts her. "Would you, Buffy?"

Buffy stares at the ground, not saying anything. Willow looks like she wants to say something, but she holds it in, thinking that the other Scoobies don't need to know.

* * *

Wesley is waiting outside the hotel for her. "Faith," he greets the Slayer.

"Hey, Wes," she grins. "How's it goin'?"

"Everything is fine," he says, his forehead furrowing. "Angel wants to see you in his office."

* * *

Angel holds Faith close. Stroking her hair as she soaks his shirt with tears.

"Why did she do it?" she asks pitiably, looking him straight in the eyes. "Was it my fault? I fucked things up, didn't I?" She smacks herself in the head. "Stupid Faith! Why'd you have to fuck things up?"

Angel grabs her hand before she can hit herself again. "Easy, Faith," he says, not letting go. "I don't know why, but I'm sure it wasn't your fault."

She looks at him disbelievingly. "Then why'd she do it?" she croaks. "It was my fault! I shoulda been more romantic or somethin', maybe I shoulda bought somma those red flower thingies-"

"Roses," Angel corrects her. "And listen to me, Faith. IT. WAS. NOT. YOUR. FAULT. Got it?"

* * *

"She blames herself, you know," Angel says flatly into the phone. "Nothing I can say is making her believe that she didn't screw it up."

He hears a sob come from the other end of the phone. "It's not," she says. "Can you tell her that? It's not her fault, it's all mine, I stuffed it up-"

"That's right," Angel says angrily. "You did." And he hangs up.

* * *

Willow makes her way to Spike's crypt at two o'clock the next morning, willing herself to believe that surely Buffy wouldn't be there. Surely Buffy cares enough about Faith to have stopped.

But when she opens the door, she finds Spike on top of Buffy, thrusting in and out of her, his face at the junction of her neck.

* * *

"It's not like that!" Buffy pleads with her. "Please believe me!"

"You know," Willow states, "when you and Faith got together, I searched for weeks, trying to find the spell Faith'd put you under, before I had to admit to myself that you weren't under a spell. And since then, I've held a grudge against her, thinking that she ws going to break your heart. But that didn't happen, did it, Buffy? No. You broke her instead."

A single tear trickles down Buffy's face as Willow spits on her and walks away.

* * *

Faith starts to believe Angel- finally, after hours of talking to her, trying to convince her that it was Buffy's fault. Not hers. At least she's stopped trying to go and find a flower shop now, convinced that Buffy will take her back if she is more romantic.

"Just... sleep on it," Angel advises, stifling a yawn. "Take some time."

* * *

Xander walks into the coffee shop, and is moderately shocked when he sees the extremely pissed-off look on Willow's face.

"Whoa," he comments, sitting down opposite her. "What's got you so pissed off?"

"Buffy," she says, the name laced with anger.

"What about her?" he asks, confused.

* * *

"No way," Xander denies, standing up. "There's no way Buffy'd screw Spike."

"Oh, yes, there is," Willow chuckles darkly. "Trust me. I've seen it twice now."

"You've seen the Buffster naked?" he asks, sitting back down. "What was it like?"

* * *

Cordelia sneaks into Faith's bedroom, sitting on a chair facing Faith's bed. She waits patiently for the Slayer to wake up.

"Huh?" Faith mumbles groggily. "Wha's goin' on? Who's that?"

"It's me," Cordelia states. "Cordelia."

"Queen C," Faith grins. "Yo, what's happenin'?"

"Came to talk," she says. She doesn't miss the lecherous grin that grows on Faith's face at the word 'came'.

Faith burrows her head deeper into Cordelia's bosom, doing her best to stop crying.

"I really do know what it's like to have someone cheat on you," Queen C says softly. "I went through the same thing with Xander, you know?"

"Least X-Man wasn't dead," she mumbles. "Whad's that say 'bout me, huh? When my girl'd rather fuck a corpse than me?"

* * *

Tears are now streaming down Faith's face. "And now I can never have her," she chokes out pitifully. "Do you know what that feels like, Cordy? To want someone you can never have?"

"There was this guy," Cordelia states softly. "His name was Doyle." _And there was always you_, she thinks, wishing that she had the nerve to say it out loud.

* * *

Xander is glaring darkly at the table. "I really hate her right now," he mutters hoarsely.

"Only as much as I do," Willow declares harshly. "Goddess knows, if we didn't need him so badly, I'd- I'd-"

"Tie him down with crosses and inject him with holy water?" Xander suggests.

Willow smiles at him. "Exactly," she agrees.

* * *

Giles stares at his bottle of scotch. The loss of one of his Slayers hit him hard; he only wished he knew why she had left.

Full of drunken determination, he picks up the phone and starts dialing Angel's number. Before he finishes it, his head is laid back and he's snoring, the phone falling out of his grasp.

* * *

Cordelia stares at the screen. Their first, failed attempt at making an advertisement video for Angel Investigations had failed badly, but it and the visions were all she had left of Doyle.

"If you need help, then look no further," Doyle states, staring right at the camera.

Cordelia looks at the bottle of wine in her hand, wishing that that were actually true.

"Our rats are low," he says, looking past it now at the flashcards she had put there for him.

"Rates," her voice says from behind the camera.

"Rates," Cordelia says, looking sadly down at the ground.

* * *

Angel clenches his fist, tossing and turning on the bed. He wished he knew why Buffy had slept with Spike. He wished he knew why she was still sleeping with Spike. From what Faith had said, Faith had subtly probed for any evidence that her actions weren't voluntary, and had found none.

"God damn it, Buffy," he says softly. "Why's you do it?"

Spike grins at Buffy. "Soooooo," he says, looking at her nervously.

"So?" she asks, looking at him in puzzlement. "So what?"

"I was thinking," he begins.

"Uh-oh," she mutters.

"I was thinking," he says again, glaring at her. "Now that the other slayer's gone, we could... I don't know... come out to your family?"

She glares at him. "Don't you ever talk about her again," she hisses.

* * *

Willow walks into her and Buffy's dorm room. For once, she hadn't been in the mood with Tara. Instead, she had vented to her about how despicable what Buffy was doing was. Tara hadn't had anything helpful to add.

She finds Buffy sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the opposite wall.

"Why'd you do it?" she asks softly.

"I don't know," Buffy murmurs softly. "Something about the sex, I guess."

"The sex." Willow's voice is flat. "You went to Spike for sex."

Buffy nods. "Yep."

Willow shakes her head in disgust. "This was killing Faith, you know? I don't know how much longer she could've lasted. If I hadn't told her, Buffy, she woulda killed herself soon."

"Please," Buffy snorts. "It's way too hard for a Slayer to kill herself."

"Not if you live in Sunnydale," Willow murmurs, standing up and walking out.

* * *

Buffy sits up and sighs, raking her hands through her hair.

* * *

Faith sits up and sighs, raking her hands through her hair.

* * *

Cordelia sits up and sighs, raking her hands through her hair.

* * *

Angel sits up and sighs, raking his hands through his hair.

* * *

All of them stare at the ceiling, trying to figure out what they should do next.


	3. Chapter 3

**It's been a while since I updated, but hey. Whatever. I do have other things to do, like job hunting, and playing tennis.**

* * *

Cordelia sits up, running her fingers through her matted hair. She sighs, looking at the empty bottles surrounding her. Angel won't be happy when he sees this.

A noise catches her attention as she scurries around, picking up the bottles. Looking up she sees Faith standing there, arms crossed, looking smugly at her.

"Faith." She keeps her voice carefully neutral, not letting the other girl know how happy she is to see her. "What are you doing up this early?"

"It's one in the afternoon." The Slayer's voice is amused. "That means early for you?"

"Not for me," Cordelia grins. "But from what I remember, you used to have trouble getting up before evening. When did you start getting up so early?"

Faith's mouth tightened. "B used to drag me out of bed at twelve," she mutters. "I gotta-" she jerks her thumb over her shoulder.

"Wait!" Cordelia's voice is higher than normal. "Don't go- uhhh- I have booze!"

Faith just looks at her for a minute before she cracks up laughing. "You think I'll stay for booze?" she asks, her voice wheezy.

"I have chocolate, too," she offers.

The dark Slayer grins, shaking her head. "What the hell. Got any decent movies?"

* * *

Buffy walks up to Spike's crypt, willing herself to stop. She pauses at every tombstone, but every second she sits there, she thinks of excuses to not go back.

Spike is waiting for her. "Spike," she greets him coldly, starting to strip.

"Slayer," he greets her.

They fall on his bed seconds after she walked in, already starting to move together.

* * *

Xander and Willow watch with hard eyes, disgusted by what they're seeing.

"Sorry, Willow," Xander says softly, turning away from them. "I should have believed you."

"So what are we going to do?" Willow asks softly.

"Well, I vote we dust him," Xander whispers. "But we can't do that. Ummm... Well, first off, I vote that we don't let Buffy and Faith get back together."

"Why not?" Willow asks, surprised.

"Because Faith would be shattered by this," he says grimly. "And there's no way she could be happy now."

Willow stares at him. "That's sweet," she says softly. "So then, what should we do?"

"First off," Xander says, leading Willow away. "We go to L.A, to see Faith. Second, we..."

* * *

Cordelia laughs, spraying Faith with coffee. Faith jerks back, a disgusted look on her face.

"That's disgusting," she says, glaring at the seer.

Cordelia shakes her head, grinning. "What?" she asks innocently. "Don't you like drinking stuff that's been in my mouth?"

The Slayer shakes her head, scowling. Despite herself, a small smile threatens to break through. "I dunno," she says. "I've never tried it, have I?"

The other woman smiles flirtatiously. "I don't think so," she purrs. "I can't remember doing it." She sticks her tongue out at Faith. The younger woman looked at it, mesmerized.

* * *

Angel starts as the phone rings. He looks at the device, unsure as to who would be calling; usually, Cordelia keeps track of everything, but he gave her the day off to talk to Faith.

"Hello?" Giles' voice was uncertain.

"Hello, Giles." Angel couldn't keep his curiosity out of his voice.

"Do you know where Faith is?" He cuts straight to the point.

* * *

Buffy lays next to Spike, panting after their bout of sex.

"So, Slayer," Spike says uncertainly. "Have you thought any more about what I said yesterday?"

Buffy's face goes unreadable instantly. "Drop it, Spike," she growls.

The vampire doesn't listen. "Because, I mean, now that Faith-" The blonde's fist lashes out and hits him straight in the balls. He curls up, eyes wide. Buffy straddles him.

"I." She punches him in the stomach. "Said." Jab to the kidney. "Never." Her hand knifes into his side. "Talk." Elbow between the legs... Again. "About." She head-butts him. "Her." Fist to the stomach again. "Again." Her eyes blaze with fury as she glares at him. "You will never dirty her by speaking about her again, got it?"

The bloody mess beneath her whimpers, nodding.

* * *

Xander and Willow pull up in front of the Hyperion.

"Knock, knock," they call cheerfully as they walk in. Wesley is standing there, watching them.

"Willow, Xander," he greets them. "Why are you here?"

Xander grins at him, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "What, we can't just drop in to see our L.A buddies?"

"Well, you haven't before," he points out.

"Hey!" Faith protests. "That was _my_ chocolate, dammit! Give it back!"

Cordelia smiles at her. "Make me," she says, poking her tongue out at the chocolate-deprived girl.

"Don't tempt me," the Slayer warns her. "I just might."

The seer smirks at her. "You couldn't if you tried," she challenges.

Faith smirks at her. Cordelia moves back slightly, only to shriek as the girl pounces on her.

"I told you," Faith breathes. "Don't tempt me, or I might just do it." She lowers her head slightly, hanging it just above Cordelia's.

"I won't give it up without a fight," Cordelia gasps. A smirk crosses Faith's face as she considers all the ways she could take that.

"Really," she whispers huskily. "Guess I'll have to do this, then, won't I?" She grabs Cordelia's wrists, forcing them above her head. Shifting her legs, she traps them, effectively making Cordelia immobile.

"My chocolate," Cordelia gasps.

"Not for long," Faith whispers. She starts to lean down again.

And, as happens, that is exactly when the door opens. Faith, her lips less than an inch over the other woman's, catapults off her, landing sprawled on the ground.

"Well," Xander says, surreptitiously holding the book Wesley had lent him over the front of his pants. "This is awkward."

* * *

Buffy sits on the edge of her bed, holding the picture of Faith that usually sits on her bedside table.

"Faith," she whispers tenderly, stroking the picture with her thumb. A tear creeps out of her eye, splashing on the frame.

* * *

Angel sits up on his bed, holding his head in his hands. Never in his life- unlife- would he have expected Buffy to cheat on Faith. He had seen how happy the two of them were, when they had gotten together after the fight with Mayor Wilkins.

Faith had been absolutely devoted to Buffy, doing anything she could to please her. Now, Faith was spending most of her time crying into his shirt.

A knock on his door makes him start. Scowling, he stands up and yanks open the door. "What?!" he yells.

Faith stands in front of him, looking vulnerable. "Never mind," she squeaks, turning to run off.

"Wait!" he calls, turning slightly. "Come in. Sorry about that, Faith."

* * *

She clutches his shirt, looking up at him, distraught. "What's wrong with me?" she asks him hoarsely.

"There is nothing wrong with you, Faith," he tries to assure her. She doesn't listen to him.

"But I've only been broken up with Buffy for a couple of days!" she gasps. "And now this! God damn it, I'm still fuckin' in love with Buffy! Why the fuck am I doin' this?"

"You're not doing anything," he tells her, staring into her eyes. "You can still be in love with someone and want other people. It doesn't make you a bad person. In fact, it speaks volumes about you- you're coming out swinging, Faith!"

Her mouth tightens sadly.

* * *

Buffy licks her lips, looking at the picture of her Faith.

"I can't stand it," she whispers. Trudging downstairs, she reaches for the phone, dialling the number she has memorized.


	4. Chapter 4

**Damn Microsoft Office 2007, can't find the word count on it. I tried to make sure this chapter had over 1,500 words, but it had other ideas.**

**And, yeah. Just thought I'd say- don't worry, everyone, I'm not needlessly bashin' Buffy. I do got plans for this story, y'know. Just run with it 'n' don't hate her too much.  
**

* * *

Faith lays in her room, trying to get to sleep. The memory of nearly kissing Cordelia repeatedly runs through her head, making that nearly impossible.

Feeling irritable, she rolls over and stares at her phone, silently telling it to ring.

And so, of course, when it actually did ring, she jumped and fell off the bed. Grumbling and rubbing her ass, she picks up the phone.

"Hello," she says casually.

"Hey, baby." Faith would recognize that breathy voice anywhere. "What are you doing?"

"Buffy," The Los Angeles Slayer is pained. "Why are you calling?"

Buffy never was any good at hiding things from Faith. "Oh, you know," she says evasively. "This and that." The dark Slayer can hear rustling sounds. "So," she says, attempting to be casual. "What are you wearing?"

"Buffy..." Faith draws out her name, hoping to get her to stop. "Don't start this."

"Do you want to know what I'm wearing?" the blonde gasps on the other side. "Or I can tell you what I'm not... uhhh!... wearing, but the first is probably quiiiiiiiicker!"

Faith tries not to think why her ex-girlfriend might be gasping and groaning right now. "Buffy," she says pleadingly. "Please, stop."

The small Slayer ignores her. "In fact," she moans, "it probably wouldn't take any... uhhhhh... time at all. You know-" she inhales sharply, then moans. "why, Faithy?"

"Buffy," Faith pleads, desperately trying to ignore the almost painful need between her legs. "Stop!"

"Faithy-" Buffy groans. "I'm-"

"Buffy!" The younger Slayer yelps. "Please, just stop!"

The Sunnydale-based Slayer doesn't listen. "I'm getting close," she breathes. "Uhhhhh-!"

"I'm hanging up now," Faith interrupts her. "Call me back after you've calmed down, if you still want to."

* * *

Buffy's right hand slips from between her legs as she hears the dialtone. There was no way Faith would ever hang up on her. Who had answered the phone, then?

The fact that she had just been touching herself while someone besides her Faith was listening does calm her down rather quickly. Determined now, she bends down and picks up her panties, debating whether to put them back on or get a new pair.

* * *

Faith waits for nearly fifteen minutes before the phone rings again.

"Hello?" she says cautiously.

"Who is this?" Buffy asks. Faith unconsciously tilts her head.

"It's Faith," she answers, confused. "Why, who else would it be?"

"I don't know," the blonde says suspiciously. "Who answered your phone just before?"

The Slayer's eyebrows draw together. "I did," she says. "Why? Did ya think that you were havin' phone sex with someone else?"

"It wasn't phone sex," Buffy protests. Faith can almost see the pout Buffy is wearing now. "How could it be?" she mutters under her breath. "I was the only one getting off."

"What do you want, Buffy?" she asks, closing her eyes and laying back down.

"I..." the Slayer trails off. "I'm not sure," she admits quietly. "I just wanted to hear your voice. Is that so bad?"

"Are you still screwing Spike?" Faith cuts straight to the point.

"What?" Buffy is thrown back by that. "Why would you ask that?"

"Answer the question, Buffy," Faith growls.

Buffy huffs. "No, I'm not," she declares, insulted.

"Mmhhhmm," Faith agrees. "Keep in mind, Red's sittin' in the room next to mine, and I'm gonna go talk to her after this. So answer me again, Buffy; are you still fuckin' Spike?"

"Willow's there?" Buffy tries to distract her. "When did that happen?"

"About five seconds too early," Faith growls. "Don't make me ask again, Buffy."

Buffy swallows, twirling her hair around her finger. There is silence for several moments, before Faith hears a faint, "Yes.".

"Thought so," she murmurs. "Look, Buffy. I came to L.A to get away from the girl who cheated on me with a vampire. Then the girl calls me, phone-rapes me, and-"

"Wait, hold up a minute." Faith sighs at being interrupted. "Phone-rape?"

"Yes, phone-rape. And after all that, the girl is still screwing the same vamp. But even after all of that, the girl thinks she can get goodnight kisses from me. How screwed up is that?"

"Yeah," Buffy chuckles. "Wait- you're talking about me. That's not screwed up at all!"

Faith exhales impatiently. "What do you mean?" she asks. "Buffy, if you had told me that Spike wasn't in the picture any more, I probably woulda hopped in the first car I could find and headed back up there. But as it is..."

Buffy licks her lips, clutching the phone tighter. "So, you're saying that if I dump Spike, you'll come back?" she asks hopefully.

Grimacing, Faith knows it won't be that easy. "Buffy... Take Giles with you. If you can dust Spike in front of him, if he tells me that you have dusted Spike, then I'll think about coming back, okay? But... If he does, and I find out you lied... or if you don't dust him... then I'm gone for good. Got it?"

Buffy swallows. "Whatever you say," she breathes. "Wait for me. I'll go dust him tomorrow, 'kay?"

Faith smiles softly. "You do that, B," she whispers, hanging up the phone.

* * *

Angel stares at Faith. "You told her what?" he asks, incredulous.

"I told her if she dusts Spike, I'd think about going back to her," Faith says in a small voice, looking at the ground.

"Why would you do that?" he shouts. "I thought- I- Why?"

"Relax, Soulboy," she says, her mouth twisting in a grimace. "I said maybe. In the meantime... Do you think you could help me out with this whole Cordy deal?"

Angel smiles softly. "Sure," he agrees.

* * *

Buffy stands in front of Giles, two stakes in her hands. "Remember, Giles," she says grimly. "I have to dust him. If I stop, then do whatever you can to make me do it. Got it?"

Giles smiles. "Sure, Buffy," he nods. "I'll make sure to do that."

* * *

Cordelia looks up, hearing a noise in her doorway. "Faith?" she asks uncertainly. "What are you doing here?"

"I was talking to Angel," Faith yawns. "I asked him to help me with something, but everything he told me wasn't much help."

"But why are you here?" the seer asks, her brow furrowing.

"Oh," Faith blinks. "I dunno. I just thought- you know what, never mind. It was a stupid idea."

The once-vain brunette looks at her. "Let me hear it anyway," she says softly. "Please."

Faith smiles gratefully. "Well," she says awkwardly. "I dunno. I guess- well, it really is stupid- uhhh, I guess over the past few months, I just kinda-" She stops talking and passes a hand over her face. "Look, for the last four months, I just got used to sleeping with Buffy, y'know?"

Cordelia nods, trying not to show how much it hurt her to hear that.

"And- I guess- I was wondering... Do y'think, maybe, I could, uh..."

"Don't worry, Faith," Cordelia smiles gently. She holds the blankets open. "Climb in."

Faith grinned at her. "Thanks, Cordy," she says softly.

"No worries," Cordelia says gently. "Just go to sleep."

The seer waits until she hears a soft snore come from the Slayer. Then, as gently as she can manage, she wraps her arms around her and gently kisses Faith's neck. Contented, she falls asleep.

* * *

Faith's mouth widens into a smile. Slayers were light sleepers by nature, which was to be expected when they fought creatures of the night. She had woken up as soon as Cordelia had touched her.

The other woman's breath is coming slow and deep. Faith turns around, leaning into the embrace.

She lies like that for several moments before she encircles Cordelia, closing the remaining distance. She brushes her lips against Cordelia's, revelling in the delicious feel for nearly a minute before she snuggles against Cordelia and falls asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so it's not the longest chapter, but.. Uhhh... I have no excuse. It just seemed like the right place to cut it off at the end.**

**And here. Hopefully, this chapter will clear everything up a little bit more. (Just a little tiny bit.) And hopefully make Buffy out to be less... Despicable.  
**

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Buffy opens the door to Spike's crypt.

"Hello, love," Spike says, looking surprised at her. "What are you doing here? It's a bit early for it, but if you-"

"Shut up, Spike," she says grimly. Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out her stake.

He eyes it warily. "What are you doing, Slayer?"

"Sorry, Spike," she mutters, turning her head so she doesn't have to look at him. "I don't really want to do this, but I have to."

His gaze flickers to the stake, then back up to his door as Giles walked in. He started to look nervous when he saw the crossbow pointing directly at his heart.

Smiling sadly, Buffy walks over to Spike. Reaching over, her hand closes around his throat.

* * *

Angel is walking towards Faith's room when he sees them. Faith and Cordelia, lying in the seer's bed, both of them sleeping peacefully in the other's arms.

Smiling slightly, he turns around and walks away.

* * *

Buffy lashes out with the stake. Spike brings both of his arms around, clasping the stake before it can drive through his heart.

Doubts flood Buffy's mind. _Is Faith really worth it? If she really loved you, would she ask you to do this? Do you really want to dust Spike?_

"Buffy." It's Giles, his voice piercing through the doubts now clouding her mind. "Remember how you told me to remind you if you stopped? Remember Faith?"

Faith. _She's not worth it! Stop!_

Her breaths came faster as she inched the wooden weapon towards Spike.

_Spike must not die! You need him!_

The stake stops, several inches from Spike's heart. Paralysed by indecision, Buffy just holds the stake there.

_Faith isn't worth giving up Spike!_

_Faith is worth it. Faith is worth everything._

_Faith wouldn't give this up for you!_

_Faith gave up everything for me._

_She wouldn't give up her other love for you._

_I don't love Spike. I love Faith._

_And how could she love you, after everything you did to her? Spike is the better bet!_

_Spike may be the better bet, but Faith is the better prize._

_You must keep him alive! You need him!_

A single tear slips down Buffy's cheek. The stake trembles in her hand.

_I need Faith._

_Spike is your only option! Even if you kill him, Faith will not forgive you!_

_She forgave me for months. She forgave me after everything I did to her. She would forgive me for anything._

_Then let Spike live!_

_But she won't come back, then._

_Then let her go! If she really loves you, then she will come back to you even if you let him live!_

"I can't do it," she whispers. "Help me, Giles!"

"Remember what you came here to do," he says calmly. "Remember what you will gain if you kill him."

_Even Giles isn't worth it. Giles prefers Faith. He likes the way she does what he tells her without questioning. Spike does whatever you tell him._

_I told him to never talk about Faith, but he did anyway._

_Because he loves you. He would do anything for you._

_He wouldn't leave me if I asked him to. Faith would._

_Faith would leave you. Spike wouldn't._

_But..._

_But what? What can Faith offer you that Spike can't?_

_Herself._

_And is that really worth killing Spike?

* * *

_

Giles watches Buffy, a frown on his face. This was the first time he had ever seen her struggle like this with something she thought she had to. Even when Faith had poisoned Angel, and Buffy had thought she had to kill her, Buffy had only been stopped by Faith begging for forgiveness.

Something isn't right here. Kendra's old stake, that piece of wood with the ridiculously laughable and forgettable name, is nearly breaking with the force Buffy was putting on it.

This sort of obsession just isn't like Buffy. The only time he had seen anything like this was when a Tillae demon had attacked Buffy, and caused her to become obsessed with Faith. That time, after Buffy had convinced herself that Faith was secretly seeing someone, she had nearly stabbed the girl.

"Buffy." His Slayer looks over at him, desperation in her eyes.

_Convince me, Giles!_

"Let him go."

Betrayal stares out at him. "Wh- What?"

"Do you trust me, Buffy?" he asks softly. Waiting for her nod before he continued, he says, "Then let him go. Trust me, Buffy. I know what I'm doing."

Tears glisten in Buffy's eyes as she releases him. Spike collapses to the ground, rubbing his throat.

"Bloody hell, Slayer," he grumbles. "What the hell was that all about?"

"Stay away from her, Spike," Giles warns him. "Next time, I won't be here, and who knows what she'll end up convincing herself to do."

Buffy stumbles towards him, a lost look in her eyes.

"Come on, Buffy," he urges her. "Let's go home."

* * *

Angel sighs and sits back on his bed, yawning.

He jumps when the phone rings. Shaking his head to clear it, he picks up the phone.

"Hello?" he asks tiredly.

"Hello, Angel," Giles speaks. "I'll just get straight to the point. Remember back in Sunnydale, when there was that whole problem with the Tillae demon?"

The vampire blinked. "The one that made Buffy obsessed with Faith? Yes, I remember."

"Good. Now, we were in Spike's crypt. Buffy was determined to kill Spike, but..."


End file.
